Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command on Monday blocked protesters from reaching the Lagos State Assembly complex, where they intended to submit a letter containing their demands.
The Take-It-Back Movement, along with other civil society organisations, spearheaded the ongoing protest to draw attention to pressing national issues, including the alleged misuse of the Cybercrime Act, and what they described as a “state of emergency” in Rivers State.
The protesters had earlier gathered at the Ikeja Under Bridge as they displayed placards with a series of inscriptions to express their grievances.
They, however, embarked on a procession to the state assembly complex where they met armed policemen who had mounted a roadblock some meters away from the entrance.
Clad in their signature orange berets, the protesters began their rally in Lagos at the Ikeja Under Bridge, marching through major roads in the state capital while chanting solidarity songs, under the watchful eyes of police officers.
9News Nigeria observed that the protesters eventually conveyed in front of the Lagos State House of Assembly in a bid to hand over a letter of grievance and demand to the speaker of the house, Mudashiru Obasa, which was stalled by the barricade and the presence of heavy security officials including the men of the Nigerian Police Force, and officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Making their demands known, the National Coordinator of the Take-It-Back Movement, Sanya Olujuwon, said the movement has passed Vote of No Confidence on the government of Lagos and the Federal Government of Nigeria, just as he asked for the release of its members that were arrested on Monday in Abuja.
He said, “The policemen are preventing us from accessing the house of assembly. It is the people’s assembly, so why are they blocking it? They are impeding our constitutional rights to movement, peaceful assembly, and protest.”
Sanyaolu also demanded the release of protesters who were allegedly arrested in some parts of the country where the protest was held.
While describing the demonstration as a warning action, Sanyaolu declared that another protest would come up in August should the government fail to meet their demands.
He said, “Currently, protesters have been arrested in Abuja after they were violently dispersed. We are calling for the immediate release of the protesters arrested in Abuja, Yobe, Gombe and Rivers States. This is a warning action and we going back to remobilise by the time we get back in August, we will shake the entire country and the entire world.
“We want the federal government to stop the Cyber Crime Act, the emergency rule in Rivers State, the demolition of houses in Oworonshoki and other parts of Lagos State and stop the trial of those who are being charged for treason after the #Endbadgovernance protest.”
9News Nigeria recalls that the “Take It Back” movement had earlier made demands on the state of the Nigerian economy, President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State, and the cybercrime act.
